₦airaland Forum

DISAPPOINTING HOPES - a Flash Fiction by Ezejideaku Princess which was approved for the Etisalat 2016 Flash fiction awards contest. Enjoy!!!


She had told me days back to avoid dwelling on the same darkness.
It was my favourite day of the month of may, the passions that came with the 27th were indescribable. Only the two of us understood what the 27th held. Liz, my best friend since childhood, I told her everything I needed her to know, but nothing she needed to know. About this day, we shared the joy it would bring for me.

Once again like every other day since the start of may, we were walking down the platform road, the only one road that held my joy for everyday that breaks. I had disturbed Liz from her sleep that morning at 5am, I couldn't take the risk of not being at the post office when the letter arrived. I had disturbed her sleep everyday since the start of the month, and she had always unwillingly followed me.

I was in such a hurry I did not notice Liz was still very far behind me, I turned to hurry her and I was alarmed at the distance between us, for goodness' sake, like every other morning I had to wait for her to catch up with me, only that this morning it was different, she walked towards me with such sadness in her eyes my legs began to weaken. For every step she took towards me I wondered what she was going to say, or perhaps I knew what, I just hoped from my heart that she wasn't going to say it. Finally she was in front of me, looking at me in such speechlessness, I grew impatient, so impatient that I turned to leave, but she held me by the hand, I turned to stare back at her and I knew she was going to say what I dreaded to hear. As she opened her mouth to speak, I couldn't but cut her short, "don't, please don't say it".

She swallowed hard, I knew she didn't want to hurt this joy I have created for myself, she looked at me so compassionately, but she went on to speak all the same "Faby, you are never going to get a letter". Those words pulled on my veins, my soul grew weak and I tried, I tried so hard but these tears, they were stubborn, they dropped on my cheeks with such hotness I could feel my heart burn.
I looked at Liz again and I saw sincerity in her eyes which were now clouded with tears, the words hit me again like a ship hitting a rock, "you are never going to get a letter".

Now I needed support to stand on my own feet, Liz took me in her hands, we staggered but she found the support we needed, I was weeping heart-broken on her shoulders.

"We would send you a letter on the 27th of may, which would contain money for your transport and an address. YOU ARE FINALLY COMING BACK TO STAY WITH US IN TERAIN"
Those were the words of the letter I received on the second of may 1992. This was the 27th of may 1996 and I still haven't received a letter. "I am stuck with that old man" I said to Liz. She alone understood those words.

Once again she said to me "avoid dwelling on the same darkness" this time, I understood those words. I wasn't ever going back to Terain. I wasn't ever going to be free from the bitter old man who bought me from my own parents.
.. . .